Can MapToNap show shadows at a specific hour?
The massing and Sun & Wind Axonometric sheets show shadows and sunlit facades for set solar positions. For scrubbing through any hour in 3D, a shadow viewer is the better tool.
Home / Architecture tools / Shadow viewers vs MapToNap sun sheets
Shadow viewers vs MapToNap sun sheets · Checked 25 October 2026
Watch the shadows move, or draw them for the board?
Shadow viewers show real-time sun and shadows on a 3D map of the city. MapToNap draws sun paths, sun and wind axonometrics, massing with shadows and climate charts as editable sheets for a site-analysis set. This page is written by the MapToNap team. We compare kinds of tool rather than named products, and describe each by what it does best.
Checked 25 October 2026Written by MapToNapKinds of tool, not brands
Side by side
3D shadow viewers and MapToNap, row by row
| 3D shadow viewers | MapToNap | |
|---|---|---|
| Core job | Interactive 3D sun and shadow simulation | Sun, wind and climate drawings for presentation |
| Sun and shadow | Live shadows through any hour and date (often on paid plans) | Sun path, Sun & Wind Axonometric (solstice paths, sunlit facades), massing with shadows |
| Wind and climate | Rarely included | Wind rose, wind flow around blocks, temperature, rainfall, solar radiation |
| Output | A live view, sometimes shareable | Editable SVG, vector PDF, PNG |
| Typical pricing | Free basic view; paid monthly plans for dates and analytics | Four drawings free (watermarked, no sign-up); Pro €7.99 or Max €12.99 for 30 days, Max for a year €49. One-off passes, nothing renews. |
Checked 25 October 2026. The left column describes what tools of this kind typically offer; individual products differ, so check the one you are considering. Features and prices change.
Choose by the job
When each one makes more sense
Choose a shadow viewer
You need to see exactly when a façade is in shade on a given day, or show a client a live view.
Choose MapToNap
You need sun and climate drawings that sit on a board next to the other analyses.
Explore, then draw
Find the critical dates in a viewer; draw the conclusions as sheets.
Using both
They often sit in the same project
Check and present
Use the viewer to check, MapToNap to present.
Beyond the sun
MapToNap adds wind, temperature and rainfall for the same site.
Free to start
Both kinds of tool usually have a free version.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers before you start
Which gives editable drawings?
MapToNap: every sheet exports as editable SVG and vector PDF.
Where does the climate data come from?
From long-term weather records for the site's location; the sheet states the source.
Do I need both?
If sun is the main design driver, a viewer is worth adding; for a complete set, MapToNap covers sun alongside the rest.
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